From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
A fire incident that gutted part of the gymnasium hall of the popular Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, has paralysed the ongoing preseason training of national women Under 23 volleyball currently ongoing at the facility.
A source in the facility said that the high voltage from Kaduna Electric caused the inferno that lasted about four hours before the fire service was able to put it under control.
As at the time this correspondent visited the facility on Tuesday, several scavengers were sighted at the scene of the incident searching for remnants of valuables therein while the trainees were in their hostels planning to continue their training outdoors.
A week ago, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), North West Zone organised a stakeholders meeting, where ways of preventing fire outbreak and response to mitigate it were discussed in Kaduna.
But in a telephone call with a media source, coordinator, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (North West), Abdullahi Idris, described the development as unfortunate.
“Yes, it is true that fire incidence was recorded at the Gymnasium Hall of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.
“We thank God that no loss of lives or injuries were recorded,” he told the media source.
Explaining the extent of damage, Abdullahi said that it only affected the changing rooms and adjoining offices, but the gymnasium Hall itself was intact and quickly added that a committee has been set up to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the inferno to forestall reoccurrence.
